The Urban Microclimate as Artefact: Reassessing Climate and Culture Studies in Architecture and Anthropology

Abstract

As natural or technical phenomena, microclimates are thermal zones with site-specific physical characteristics; the modern city was the central object in the genesis of a scientific investigation of microclimates. As man-made artefacts, however, microclimates are far more than pure physical-thermodynamic phenomena; they are fabricated “thermal places” (Lisa Heschong) with varied meanings which require serious architectural, social, and cultural research. Microclimate studies offer valuable insights into everyday culture, social conditions, and the political aspirations of energy-dependent and urbanised societies. This article outlines the notion of the microclimate from the perspective of architectural theory and shows its relevance for contemporary ethnographic research.